Exploring the Moon, Discovering Earth

July 17, 2009: Forty years ago, Apollo astronauts set out on a daring adventure to explore the Moon. We ended up discovering our own planet, as the image of the big Blue Marble became synonymous with the environmental movement. This image challenged us to look at our selves without borders and geo-political concepts. We were undeniably on a unique planet and we were all alone.
So it is interesting to think about the amount of debris we have left on the Moon since we first visited 40 years ago. Here is a list and a beautiful and helpful map of all moon landings:

This is the weathered book that I remember from my childhood. A first science book for the picture loving crowd, of which I am still an enthusiastic member. To this day, I do not understand why science periodicals and books do not have better PICTURES! Every time I pick up an exciting subject, with plenty of potential images- I feel short changed with the black and white photos of exacting data. It is as if the science crowd feels it must be serious and stay away from the full color fantasy images that fill this book and the vitrines of every Natural History Museum. Those vivid landscapes helped me see the world as it was and imagine a world before humans. Something we all should do more of once in awhile.

Let’s hope that Obama does for shelter adoptions what he did for HOPE. Make it popular! Shepard Fairey to the rescue to give those words an image and to help promote the largest online rescue adoption site, Adopt-a-Pet. and to help promote their new tv show- Save a Pet

Log on and get a free banner for your website and facebook page from Mutts like me.

Bansky, an artist who focuses on social commentary with visual puns like a good poke in the eye, recently created a farmyard for fast food. Where else would those little chicken nuggets get there start?

Chickens have been on my mind lately, having spent a few weeks with 2 of them this summer. They have a lot of personality and according to some tests, score higher than monkeys. But the reality of how they are treated is very different. The 2006 film “Our Daily Bread” showed how tomatoes were handled with more care than live baby chicks. Just on their way to nuggethood, that’s all.

This is the picture of Elsheba Khan, taken by Platon for the New Yorker that was invoked by Colin Powell on Meet the Press Sunday. Listen to his reasons and look at this photo. In Powell’s words, “Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That’s not America.”

Here are some great interpretations of the world as seen in LEGO.

LEGOs defy logic and re-create Waterfall of MC Escher

Take that treehugger!

Even the world of politics ( yes, that IS Governor Sarah Palin!)

and of course, the Beginning of the World from my perennial favorite, the Brick Testament!

The Pop Vs Soda Map

Is there some hidden message in our ideas about Red state/Blue state politics that the media analysts are missing? Whether you ask for “soda” or “pop” to quench your thirst tells a lot about your regional linguistics, according to an article published last year in the “Isthmus” a Madison, Wisconsin weekly newspaper. Written by a linguistics and philology PHD from University of Madison- Wisconsin, Luanne von Schneidemesser, who is also an editor for the Dictionary of American Regional English, the study reveals the complicated relationships involved in quenching your thirst.

• pop: dominates the Northwest, Great Plains and Midwest. The world ‘pop’ was introduced by Robert Southey, the British Poet Laureate (1774-1843), to whom we also owe the word ‘autobiography’, among others. In 1812, he wrote: A new manufactory of a nectar, between soda-water and ginger-beer, and called pop, because ‘pop goes the cork’ when it is drawn. Even though it was introduced by a Poet Laureate, the term ‘pop’ is considered unsophisticated by some, because it is onomatopaeic.

• soda: prevalent in the Northeast, greater Miami, the area in Missouri and Illinois surrounding St Louis and parts of northern California. ‘Soda’ derives from ‘soda-water’ (also called club soda, carbonated or sparkling water or seltzer). It’s produced by dissolving carbon dioxide gas in plain water, a procedure developed by Joseph Priestly in the latter half of the 18th century.

I remember that in Boston, working as a bartender in the 80’s, I had to be careful when people ordered a “tonic”, a term used generically for any bubbley drink, not to be confused with my favorite bubbley- champagne thank you! And here in Los Angeles, we order a soda, because pop is so obviously a fashion reference and not a soft drink!

And here is a sobering thought: Americans drink, on average 43 gallons of soft drinks every year! And here is a related “scary thought“, thanks to artist Chris Jordan’s, “Can Suerat”.

Thanks to Strange maps for this post info- that is why it is on my blogroll!

The Democratic Convention was great. We watched it on C-Span or PBS since the cable channels and networks were so terrible! How novel to be able to watch a speech and NOT have it interrupted by ads or being told what someone with an opinion to sell you has to say. Hilary and Bill made great speeches. And so did Biden, Kerry and Michelle. And Obama continues to amaze.

And how moving to have the convention on such an important anniversary for this country.

My mother, who passed away five years ago, was at the March Against Poverty in 1963. I grew up outside DC and remember that day well. When she came home, she knew she had seen history. I had wanted to go, but she was worried because of the reports that there would be rioting, and so had not taken the risk of having me with her. I remember she apologized for that, with great emotion for what she felt she had denied me, an experience of a lifetime. It made thinking about that this anniversary very moving for me, remembering my mother as well as seeing the outcome of Dr King’s dream, in Barack Obama’s nomination.

If Obama wins the presidency it will be a watershed moment for this country. A watershed “moment” that began in my lifetime, 40 odd years ago, with laws that LBJ signed in 1964 and 1965. Since that time, the Democratic Party has lost the South to the Republican Party in every national election. To the shame of Republicans, their party has proved to be all to happy to incite fear and loathing; of other races, other countries, other religions; just fill in the blank, anything to WIN. And I am sure they will go that way again to win this election.

My advice to all my friends: Turn off the TV (or switch to C-Span) and Get Active! This election was never going to be easy no matter who was our nominee, folks.

And like Obama says, we can not go back now!

this image from the great blog- wonkette

..the question is also how much. The issue of the quantity of homes owned by the McCains brings up many corollary issues. Thanks to Talking Points Memo, the bit about wealth and it’s influence is best explained by daughter, Meghan, who posts her own McCain Blogette, on the campaign trail. It is there that you find the BIG PARTY for the Washington Press Corps at the private McCain ranch in Sedona. They are all having a great time. Politico gave Cindy McCain flowers? Wow, that explains a lot.

Is this why the press corps does not correct any of the countless errors about Obama, and mostly just ignores or repeats them? At least the gaffe about his houses has a resonance that even the press and cocktail corps can not ignore. The issue is how many- and how much we will all pay for it!